Akwatia By-Election: Police Deploy 600 Personnel, But NDC and NPP Raise Concerns
- The Ghana Police Service has deployed 600 personnel to Akwatia for the upcoming parliamentary by-election
- NDC candidate Bernard Bediako felt this was insufficient given the constituency's history of electoral violence
- The NPP, distrustful of the police after the Ablekuma North rerun, has demanded that perpetrators be prosecuted
The Ghana Police Service has deployed 600 personnel to Akwatia to provide security before, during, and after the upcoming parliamentary by-election.
While this may be considered commendable, the main stakeholders in the election, particularly the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), have raised concerns.
Source: UGC
The NDC candidate, Bernard Bediako, has stated that the 600 security personnel deployed by the Ghana Police Service may not be enough, given the history of electoral violence in the constituency.
Bediako, a lawyer by profession, emphasised that there should be additional backup in case the security personnel's operations extend beyond the polling stations on the day of the election.
“If the 600 policemen are without a backup, then for me, there is a problem. If they are not just going to be at the polling stations and will be in the communities, then it is not enough, because sometimes these [riots] happen even in the communities as people go around trying to prompt others to come and vote; sometimes it erupts into something else,” he said.
However, he assured the people of Akwatia that he and his supporters would do their part to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the police to operate.
Akwatia by-election: NPP mistrustful of police
Ahead of the September 2, 2025, by-election, the NPP said it did not fully trust the police, given what happened during the Ablekuma North rerun.
The opposition party claimed that nothing had been done to the alleged perpetrators, with some believing they may appear again in Akwatia.
Therefore, to gain the full trust of the Ghana Police, the NPP demanded the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of the Ablekuma North rerun.
The Deputy General Secretary of the party, Haruna Mohammed, also reacted to the deployment of 600 police personnel and security arrangements made for the Akwatia by-election.
He said the recent simulation exercises conducted by the police in preparation for the election had not restored their confidence that the by-election would be peaceful.
“Simulation cannot just give us confidence but can only make us happy that something seems to be done. But what seems to be done must be seen to be done on the ground on the D-day."
Mohammed also accused the National Democratic Congress of being responsible for all the violence perpetrated during the by-elections in the country.
Despite his seeming lack of trust, however, he acknowledged the role of the police in providing security for the state but considered the NDC as 'devils'.
“We view the police as the security of the state, but that doesn’t prevent you, as an individual, from protecting yourself, because we have considered the NDC as devils, and we cannot eat with the devil without a long spoon. We are not going to Akwatia for violence, but if violence occurs, we have the right to protect ourselves,” he added.
NDC calls for trust in the police
Responding to this, Lawyer Bediako urged the NPP to desist from 'creating fear in the minds of the people', which may prevent voters from coming out to exercise their constitutional right and to trust the police.
He questioned the basis of their distrust in the police.
“You don’t trust the police; who will you trust? Is there any alternative? There isn’t. Has the new government made new recruitment beyond what the NPP made? These are the same people you employed or some you came to meet and kept. What has happened?” Lawyer Bediako quizzed.
Akwatia is peaceful, and there is no indication of any unrest at this stage. There have been some policemen spotted in town, but they are not in huge numbers.
Source: Facebook
Why the Akwatia MP seat is vacant
YEN.com.gh also reported that the constituency seat became vacant after the death of Ernest Kumi on July 7, 2025.
The Electoral Commission set a date of September 2, 2025, for the Akwatia by-election for a new MP to be voted in.
Candidates from the NPP and NDC have campaigned in the constituency, hoping to sway voters to poll for them.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
